Press "Enter" to skip to content

Bradley’s take on Shakespeare offers much to ‘Like’

Modernizing the works of William Shakespeare is never an easy feat, as the production must work to effectively capture the essence of the new time period while keeping the rhythm and rhyme of the Bard’s writings intact.

However, Bradley theatre department’s production of “As You Like It,” which opened yesterday, manages to pull off both tasks with ease, and provides a frenetic showcase for its multi-talented cast.

This time around, the action of the Shakesperean comedy takes place in California during the 1940s, a bold stylistic choice that gives the audience plenty of eye candy and harmonic musical performances to enjoy during the play’s two-hour runtime.

For some people (myself included), sitting still in the theatre for two hours may sound like a tedious task, but the loose, fast-paced interactions between the cast members moves the plot along at a brisk pace.

Speaking of the cast, I don’t think that I’ve ever heard iambic pentameter flow so naturally and confidently than I did watching this group on stage.

Maybe that’s because my experience watching live Shakespeare performances mainly consists of poorly done high school plays. Even so, this is without a doubt one of the best ensembles that have appeared in a Bradley production.

Additionally, the first act kicks off with a wrestling scene, so that garners an enthusiastic review from the closeted WWE fan within me.

“As You Like It” will run until April 26 at the Hartmann Center for the Performing Arts mainstage. Tickets are $7 for Bradley students and $5 for freshmen. For additional ticket information, call the theatre box office at (309) 677-2650.

Copyright © 2023, The Scout, Bradley University. All rights reserved.
The Scout is published by members of the student body of Bradley University. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the University.